Dispensing device



Oct. 3, 1961 Filed June 10, 1959 CLARENCE R. TAYL 0/? INVENTOR.

BY%0M ATTORNEY 3,002,660 DISPENSING DEVICE Clarence R. Taylor, 1632Pcnfield Road, Rochester 10, NY.

Filed June 10, 1959, Ser. No. 819,335 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-490) Thisinvention relates generally to dispensers, and more specifically to animproved dispensing device having a cooperable container spout and capin which the cap is adapted to be selectively movable between an openposition for dispensing the contents of the container, and a closedposition for preventing the contents of the container from escapingtherefrom.

Dispensing devices for dispensing various liquids, or viscous solutionssuch as glue, and comminuted materials such as sugar, salt, pepper andthe like, are well known in the art. Most of the dispensing devices ofthe type having slitted resilient diaphragms or nipples rely upon theapplication of an external force such as squeezing the nipple betweenthe fingers or pressing the nipple against a flat object to force thesides of the slit apart to dispense the contents therefrom. One of thedisadvantages of this type of dispensing device is that the contents ofthe container often get onto the operators fingers, and when thecontents are liquids or viscous solutions, this can result indiscomfiture and annoyance to the operator. Furthermore, in this type ofdevice, the slit in the diaphragm is closed by the natural elasticity ofthe nipple which is often insufiicient to tightly seal the slit.Furthermore, the nipple gradually loses its elasticity with time and usethereby increasing the difficulty of properly sealing the slit. Applicants improved dispensing device is believed to obviate these andother disadvantages of prior known dispensing devices.

- The primary object of this invention is to provide an improveddispensing device having a co-operable container spout and cap in whichthe cap is rotatably mounted on the open spout of the container andselectively movable on said spout between an open position fordispensing the contents of the container, and a closed position forpreventing the contents of the container from escaping therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap for acontainer which is inert to most materials or liquids which thecontainer might hold.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cap for adispensing device adapted to be selectively movable thereon between openand closed positions with a minimum of effort.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improveddispensing device that is of simple design and construction, thoroughlyreliable and efiicient in operation, and economical to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved dispensingdevice having outlet means that are progressively moved from a tightlyclosed position to a wide open position for adjustably controlling thesize of the outlet means.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an improveddispensing device having a slitted flexible cap which does not rely onthe natural elasticity of the cap to provide the sealing pressure forthe slit.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improveddispensing device having a co-operable noucylindrical spout and slittedcap in which the spout stretches the cap and is adapted to forciblyselectively open and close the slit when the cap is manually turned onthe {\SPOUL With the foregoing and other objects in view, this inentioncomprises certain novel constructions, combina- 3,002,660 Patented Get.3, 196,1:

' the arrows;

1 suitable rigid material such FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 withthe cap thereof rotated through an angle of about 90" degrees into theopen position;

FIG. 5 is a section view substantially taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3 andlooking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. dis a front side elevation view of the cap of the dispensing deviceas it is formed from a mold without a slit therethrough, and a dottedline CC is indicated substantially along which the operator cuts the capto form a slit;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the cap of FIG. 6 after the top has beencut oil along the dotted line; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical central section view of the cap of FIG. 6.

Asshown in the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the dispensing deviceof this invention is disclosed comprising a cylindrical container 10constructed from any as metal, glass or a hard plastic. The container14) has an integrally formed spout 1 1 which as seen in FIG. 3 flaresoutwardly and has a substantially oval-shaped cross section as best seenin FIG. 5. The outer dimension of spout l1 taken along its major axis AAis greater than the outer dimension and spout 11 while still of spout 11taken along its minor axis B-B for a purpose to be explainedhereinafter. A substantially cylin drical cap 12 as best seen in FIGS. 6and 7 is rotatably mounted on spout it, as best seen in FIG. 3 and isconstructed or molded of a flexible material such as Teflon or any othersuitable plastic which is inert to most materials held by container itand further has a low coeificient of friction with respect to spout 11so that it may be readily turned thereon. To facilitate turnin orrotating cap 12 on spout 11, cap 12 is provided with peripheral radiallyextending and angularly spaced apart ridges 13 adjacent one end of itscylindrical skirt id as seen in FIG. 6 by which cap 12 may be manuallygripped by the operator. Although ridges 13 are adjacent one end, theymay be disposed anywhere along skirt i The top of cap 121's molded asshown in FIGS. 6 and 8 with a closed projection 15 so that when it isinitially mounted on a container spout 11 it forms a complete seal. Whenthe operator desires to use the contents of container 11, cap 12 isrotated until projection 35 is in register with axis A-A, and thenprojection 15 is cut off substantially along the dotted line shown inFIGS. 6 and 8 to form a pair of tightly closed lips 16 as seen inFIG. 1. In the normal position of cap 12 as seen in FIG. 8, lips 16 arespaced slightly apart to form a slit Zti. The

operator can then turn cap 12 on spout it in enther direction toprogressively open lips 16 until cap 12 is turned through into itsmaximum open position as seen in FIG. 4. The skirt i4 is adapted to heslid over spout 11 and is sufficiently tight thereon to prevent thecontents of container 10 from leaking between skirt 14 permitting easyturning of cap 12 on spout 11. The skirt 14 further has an annularshoulder 17 co-operating with the top of spout 11 to provide a stop sothat cap '12 cannot be urged downwardly any further as seen in FIG. 3.This stop prevents the top of spout 11 from interfering with the openingand closing of lips 1-6. Skirt 14' is further provided at its lower endwith an annular rib 18 adapted to snap over an annular shoulder 19formed by spout 11 for releasably securing cap 12-to spout 1 1.

In the operation of this invention, cap 12 as it is initially molded asseen in FIG. 6 is slid over spout 11 until the top of spout 11 engagesshoulder 17 and rib 18 snaps over shoulder 19 releasably securing cap 12to container in an operative position. The operator may then grasp cap12 by ridges 13 and turn cap 12 on spout 11 into the closed position asseen in FIGS. 1 and 3 and then out 01f a portion of projection 1.5substantially along the dotted line seen in FIGS. 6 and 8 to form theslit 20. In this position, the larger dimension of spout 1'1 stretchescap 1.2 along axis A--A causing lips 16 formed by projection which arein register therewith to be pulled together forcibly closing slit andpreventing the contents of container 10 from escaping therefrom. Shouldthe operator desire to release the contents of container 10, he merelyhas to turn cap 12 on spout 11 approximately 90 from the closed positioninto the open position as seen in FIG. 4. In this position, the largerdimension of spout 11 stretches cap 12 along axis A-A causing lips 16which are transverse thereto to be forcibly pulled apart in position torelease the contents of container 10 when it is inverted. The cap 12 isin its maximum open position in FIG. 4, and by varying the amount cap 12is turned from the closed position, the operator is able to adjustablyvary the size of the slit opening 20 between the closed and wide openpositions thereby functioning as a valve to selectively control the rateof speed at which the contents of container 10 are dispelled.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of the invention andillustrated the same on the accompanying drawings, certain minor changesor alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which thisinvention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I,therefore, reserve the right to make such altera- 4 tions or changes asshall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a dispensing device, the combination comprising: a containerhaving a substantially rigid spout connected at one end to saidcontainer and its opposite end free, said spout having an ellipticalcross-section at its opposite end which has a major axis and a minoraxis and its outer dimension along its major axis is greater than itsouter dimension along its minor axis, said spout further having anannular shoulder adjacent its one end; a substantially cup-shapedflexible cap having a substantially cylindrical flexible skirt tightlyencircling said spout and rotatably mounted thereon, said skirt havingan inner annular rib at one end engageable with said an nular shoulderfor holding said cap on said spout, and

the opposite end of said skirt merges into a cover having a slittherethrough, said cover having an inner annular abutment adapted toengage said opposite end of said spout to prevent further depression ofsaid cap on said spout, said cover further defining a cavity inconnection with said slit and disposed above a plane including saidannular shoulder and said opposite end of said spout; and manuallyoperable means formed by said cap to facilitate rotation of said cap onsaid spout between a first position in which said slit is closed and asecond position in which said slit is opened.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said spout flaresoutwardly from its one end to its opposite end.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,070,689 Irrgang et al. Aug. 19, 1913 1,695,506 Smith Dec. 25, 19282,208,201 Smith July 16, 1940 2,585,527 Adams Feb. 12, 1952 2,665,945Barton Jan. 12, 1954 2,877,918 Gardner Mar. 17, 1959

